


Rumor Has It

by underscoredom



Category: Marvel (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Date, M/M, but mostly happy teenager feelings, happy teenager angst, happy teenager feelings, prying but well-intentioned friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-27
Updated: 2012-08-27
Packaged: 2017-11-12 22:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/496354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/underscoredom/pseuds/underscoredom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki is going to kill his friends (but not after making out with Steve).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rumor Has It

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alekibutt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alekibutt/gifts).



> A fic for the [Avengers Reverse Big Bang 2012](http://avengers-rbb.livejournal.com/)! My first big bang, so I writing this fic was part exciting and part torture because I didn't want to mess up my artist's work. Alek's art can be found [here](http://baboo-et-blade.livejournal.com/1944.html). Please give him some love because he is a great artist and his pieces for the RBB are great and he makes me wish I was as good as him.
> 
> Thank you Alek, for convincing me that it's not a crazy idea to sign up for this, on top of the many things we signed up for already. Thanks to Tish, my usual beta, as well as Mon and Lui who also did some beta fu and held my hand as I freaked out towards the end.
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :D

Loki poked at his food suspiciously. Thursday’s meat looked eerily like Monday’s. He wouldn’t be surprised if he found out that the cafeteria recycled leftover meat, but Monday’s meat hadn’t quite looked like meat either, which meant that Loki wasn’t sure if he had the appetite to eat it.

“Guess.” Darcy seated herself across Loki, her lips spread in a devious smile. Loki raised an eyebrow. That smile alone told him that he didn’t want to be involved in this.

“I’d rather not. What are you doing here?”

“Aw, c’mon, Loki. We’re friends.” She batted her eyelashes at him.

“Let me assure you, we are not. Particularly since you almost got me into trouble with Coulson.” He rummaged into his bag and produced his book, flipping it open to the page he had left off at.

“As I recall, it was your idea in the first place.”

“Yes and it was a brilliant plan until you decided to improvise, and started the fire with weed when a matchstick would have sufficed.”

“How was I to know he’d know weed when he smelled it? He teaches Physics, not Biology.” Loki propped his elbows on the table, and held his book in front of his face, with the hopes that it would send Darcy away.

“Oh, that’s cute.” Loki continued to ignore her and turned the page. “Fine. Be that way. Now I’ll never get to ask you if what Jane told me that Bruce told her that Tony told him that Steve asked him how he should ask you to go out on a date with him is true.”

_What?_

Loki lowered his arms. Darcy was smirking at him. She had her elbows propped on the table as well, her hands clasped together and her chin resting on top.

“Sorry, did he not ask you yet?” Her smirk told him her exactly how sorry she felt. Loki rubbed his temple. He was not having this conversation because there was no way Steve would ask that.

“Darcy, leave me alone. I’m trying to get this done.” He waved the book at her, hoping she’d get the message.

“Is that for Heimdall’s class?” a voice called over. Loki groaned. Brilliant. This day could not get worse.

Tony walked over, a Starbucks in one hand, and plopped himself beside Darcy.

"Dude, he's got me reading his material. I have no idea how the fuck he knows that I don't read them when I never fail his quizzes," he complained as he finished his drink with a noisy slurp. Loki and Darcy both narrowed their eyes at him; Loki because Tony had no right to assume he was wanted in this conversation, Darcy because—

"How the hell do you have that? We're not allowed to leave campus during class hours!" Tony shrugged away Darcy's complaint, and mimicked her earlier position.

"I believe there are more important matters at hand. Tell me Steve's made a move. He didn't actually grope you like I suggested, did he? Because I just don't see him coming out of that alive."

Loki glared. Darcy and Loki had already been quite notorious for their pranks, but the arrival of Tony had only encouraged them. The three of them, when not engaging in schoolwide pranks, often pulled them on each other, sometimes taking sides. They might have been capable of doing even worse things to each other, but Loki was sure none of them would actually go down this road.

"If you're implying that I would let you live if you try that with me, I assure you Stark, you wouldn't. There may not even be a body to find."

Loki turned to Darcy for affirmation, but she wasn't listening to the conversation. Instead, she had a faraway gaze, a smile on her face. Christ. He snapped his fingers in front of her.

"Stop. If you're going to fantasize about Steve, or, God forbid, Tony and I, I suggest you either stop now or go away. Don’t come back until you've bleached your mind." At the mention of fantasizing, Tony's face brightened, as though Loki had presented him with a wonderful idea.

"No, don’t even think about it, Tony," Loki snapped.

“Unless you’re thinking about you and Bruce,” Darcy said, clutching Tony’s arm. Her eyes were wide as she leaned in close, as though she would be able to see whatever horrid image Tony’s mind is conjuring. “You should totally let me in if it’s about you and Bruce. I will totally be an appreciative recipient of that.”

Bruce Banner mostly kept to himself and his alleged anger issues, which no one was brave enough to prove otherwise. He had an awkward way of handling himself around people which many found more endearing than anything else. Jane sometimes sighed to him about how dreamy Banner was (particularly when he took his glasses off to clean it with the hem of his shirt or when he pinched the bridge of his nose in the middle of reports. This was usually the part when Loki would remind Jane about Thor, if only to get her to stop talking).

Banner had taken an immediate liking towards Tony, which was surprising for Loki because if he was capable of provoking Banner, so should Tony. Tony does, but in a manner that Banner seems to find appealing. Loki himself did not like Banner. He admired the other’s intelligence but nothing more. The feeling was mutual and while no one knew why, the unofficial story was that Loki had managed to provoke Banner into a mood so bad half the Chemistry department had to be repaired.

“No. Not even that. Begone you heathens. Don’t make me barf into my questionable lunch meat.”

"Spoilsport," Darcy grumbled. Then she grinned up at him, having forgiven him quickly. "You'll say yes, right?" Her question broke Tony's reverie.

"You mean, he hasn't asked yet?" Tony sounded scandalized. Loki would have been mildly sympathetic if they weren't talking about him. Darcy patted his arm in comfort.

 

*

 

Thor had introduced him to Steve at one of his house parties, three years ago; Loki had made a stealthy dash to the kitchen, in an attempt to grab something to drink while avoiding Thor, but to no avail. His brother had spotted him; worse, Thor had brought a friend over to him.

"Loki, have I introduced you to Steve?" Thor asked, a beam resulting from a little too much alcohol. He had an arm wrapped around the shoulder of Steve Rogers, who kept shifting his weight between his feet. Loki knew who he was. Steve was in his year; they had history together. He was very passionate about the World Wars _, that_ much he’d gathered from their class.

He was also on the short side, his muscles more lean than bulky. Loki briefly wondered how he hadn’t gotten crushed under Thor’s weight yet.

Thor leaned over and wrapped his other arm around Loki, who jerked Thor’s arm off with an annoyed click of his tongue, his own arms crossed.

"Steve had pitched the throw that won our baseball team their spot on the semi-finals," Thor announced without waiting for his reply. Yes, of course, as if that even mattered to Loki. Although that would explain why Steve was at the party; Thor was particularly close to his team.

Steve smiled, this small shy smile as he ducked his head. He was blushing as well, though Loki couldn't tell if it too was from the alcohol, or if he was genuinely embarrassed. It certainly made him look vulnerable.

"No, I really didn't do anything.” Steve had to raise his voice to be heard over the music, obnoxious laughs, and drunken voices.  “I mean, I did. Of course. What's the point of being in the team if I stay on the bench?" A look of alarm crossed Steve's face. "Not that I'm saying there are people who are useless on the—" Steve shut his mouth at Loki's raised eyebrow and Thor’s bark of laughter. Steve gave a shaky laugh as well, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sorry, I tend to ramble when—" Steve made a vague gesture with his hand.

"I've noticed," Loki said with a roll of his eyes. Unlike Steve, he didn’t bother raise his voice.

"I believe you will like Steve. He is also in your year."

“Thor, I’m not stupid. I believe that role falls to you.”

Their conversation was interrupted as a shriek came from the poolside. Loki took in private delight at how it sounded like Fandral. Despite the look of alarm Steve shared with some of the people in the house, and the music being turned down, Thor laughed and removed himself from Steve's side to see what his other friends were up to.

"I see you have the misfortune of being friends with Thor," Loki said without waiting for Thor to be out of earshot. Steve grinned.

"I'm really just around for free use of the pool." Loki blinked before finding himself laughing.

"You might be someone worth sticking around, Rogers."

"Call me Steve," he said. Loki smiled at him, but his ‘no’ was evident in the sharp line it formed.

"Perhaps one day, Rogers."

Somewhere along the way, Rogers became Steve, and Steve became his friend. Almost impossibly, he had become closer to Loki over time. Loki and Steve soon grew from bumping into each other during Thor’s parties to stopping in the middle of the hallway to say hi or talk about classes they shared. Steve added him on Facebook (Loki remembered staring at the notification for a few minutes, wondering why Rogers (then, he had still been Rogers then) was adding him. When he had accepted, Steve had been quick to post a quick hello on his wall, with a matching emoticon). Eventually, they swapped phone numbers and schedules as well.

Hanging out shifted from studying together to spending Saturdays at the other’s house, or attending games when they were held at school (Loki was always invited for the after-parties), or becoming a sounding board for pranks (Steve never hesitated in telling him when he stepped out of line).

“And how is Steve?” Thor would ask, tone teasing and a smug grin on his face.

“Text him yourself,” Loki would snap and turn away before his brother could catch his face reddening; he was very much unwilling to say that Thor had been right about him liking Steve.

 

*

 

Three years had passed, and Loki had come to terms with the fact that, along the way, he had developed an attraction for Steve. It was a culmination of many things; his humour, his stubbornness, his determination; the way he did not hesitate calling out someone’s bullshit; his lesser known talent in art; the way he poked his tongue out when he tried to concentrate at anything.

That time Steve had looked at him so intensely while drawing Loki for an exhibit last summer; the way he'd blushed and ducked his head before asking Loki if it was quite all right to draw him; his genuine love for his team. (Of course there was also no denying that he was physically attractive. Loki was not blind. Steve had always been attractive, even before puberty had hit and gifted him with a few more inches and bulk.)

He just never acted upon his feelings because he never thought that Steve was interested. Not just in him, but dating in general. Steve had gone a long way from the person Loki had first met. He may not have been as tall as Loki, but he drew looks whenever he entered a room. He had often been approached with offers ranging from a supposedly innocent study group, to a more direct suggested make-out session.

Steve had never been comfortable with any of that, so Loki didn’t think he could initiate anything beyond the close friendship that they had.

 

*

 

He sent Steve a text, telling him that he’d meet him at the cafe a block from their school. Thursdays were the baseball team’s turn to use the field. Steve usually had the team doing some strength training program for a couple of hours at least a month before the new season. Usually, Loki would wait by the benches, catching up on some of his school work or working out the kinks of his latest prank, sometimes with the help of either Tony or Darcy. Today, however, Loki didn’t think that he could take being in school. In case something happened. Or didn’t happen.

Tony and Darcy’s interruption of his lunch had left him in a bundle of nerves all afternoon. All he wanted to know was whether or not lunch had actually edible. He never wanted to know that Steve might actually return his feelings. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect, or if he would be relieved if Steve didn’t ask him. He didn’t know whether he wanted to delay time or speed it up.

What he was quite sure of, on the other hand, was that he would find a way to get back at Tony and Darcy. Why he had idiotic friends invested with his life, he didn’t know.

Loki found himself a table and ordered his usual cup of coffee. He tried passing by the time by doing homework. There was a set of problems for Trigonometry that he could start on, or a paper that he hadn’t outlined yet. He tried continuing the book Heimdall wanted them to finish by Monday, but he gave up when he realized he’d been attempting to read the same page at least thrice already.

Giving a resigned sigh, he abandoned the book and took advantage of the café’s free wi-fi. But, by the fifth music video starring kittens (it wasn’t his fault; Darcy had started it by sending him a link), Loki was still feeling knotted up inside. He had taken to tugging at his sleeves then drumming his fingers loudly on the table. Beside him, a person he recognized from school gave him a steely glare, which he boldly ignored. She was literally five steps away from murdering him, and the look she gave conveyed that she was not above crossing those five steps and perhaps throttling him, if it meant having her peace and quiet back.

Thankfully, Loki’s phone chimed with a text from Steve, telling him he was waiting outside.

 

*

 

They climbed into Loki’s car and headed out. Steve started talking about the new issue of the latest comic he'd been telling Loki to read, how this new kid in the team could practice his pitching some more, a project he has for his art class. Loki let himself be lead along the conversation, trying to decide if this was some build up to an invitation to…

Well. Loki would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about what they would do. A meal at somewhere more special than McDonalds. Somewhere that served actual potatoes. Perhaps a movie. Steve would indulge in his obsession with foreign films and get them tickets to the latest one in the small theatre a corner away from the arcade. They'd sit at the very front and share a small tub of popcorn to have an excuse to touch.

Maybe a casual mention of needing help with Physics. They'd be on Steve's bed and Steve would try to kiss him but get embarrassed about it. Loki would laugh teasingly and shut Steve's spluttering with his kiss (never mind that he’s never kissed anyone yet either).

It really didn’t matter for Loki. The only thing he cared about was the end. Steve tucking his hair behind his ear, tilting his head up to kiss him.

So what if Loki was a sap? No one needed to know.

But Steve invited him to none of these things. Loki's imagined dates withered as Steve went back to talking about the comic, before moving on to needing to stop by the art shop over the weekend for a class he had with Banner. Loki made the necessary replies but couldn’t concentrate. His stomach was still flipping partly in expectation, and partly in disappointment.

 

*

 

Loki pulled up outside Steve’s house. The lights were on, which meant Steve’s mom was home. 

"So..." Steve trailed off, a light blush splashed across his cheeks. The bitter acceptance that Loki had felt disappeared, and was quickly replaced with his heart beating wild and out of control from somewhere in his throat.

"Yes?" he croaked, which Steve grinned at, despite his discomfort. Loki coughed and scowled at him.

"Uhm. Do you—" Steve smacked his lips. "Uh. Gosh, this shouldn't be so hard, I mean considering that, well, but then you probably don’t—But Tony said—then again, Tony lies, I mean-- Do you want to have dinner?" It all came out rushed and Loki registered none of it except for the last word. It was not quite what he expected, but he'd take it anyway because yes! This was Steve and he'd liked him for years.

Loki was smiling now, a genuinely pleased smile that showed in his eyes. He was about to tell Steve that he would love to, except Steve kept going.

"Tonight. Dinner. I mean--" Steve took a deep breath. "My mom's making lasagna. And, well, I know how much you like it. You should join us."

Loki tried not to let his smile falter.

"Okay. Let me just text mom," Loki said. Steve relaxed, his shoulders slumping. Then he tensed up again.

“That’s not all.” Loki paused from his text, fingers hovering over the keypad. He turned to Steve, arching an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Because. I also wanted to ask you if you wanted to. Hang out.” This time, Loki was confused because this was not exactly something they’d needed to ask each other before hand.

“This Saturday?” Steve nodded.

“Steve, we always hang out on Saturdays.”

“Yeah. Except no, this won’t be like hanging out because it’ll be like a date,” Steve explained without looking at Loki. That was good because Loki was busy gaping at him, his eyes as wide as his mouth. Admittedly, it wasn’t his finest moment. Silence stretched until Steve coughed, running a hand across his face and rubbing the back of his neck.

“Or not. Forget it. Tony suggested that being honest would be the best way to go but, I mean, I probably screwed it up—” Loki cut him off, with the first thing that clicked in his head.

“Did you just ask me on a date? Did _Tony_ just tell you how to ask me on a date?”

“C’mon. There’s no need to sound like that. I thought that was good advice.” Now, Steve was pouting and Loki couldn’t help but laugh. Steve looked like he was ready to argue so Loki stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“Sorry,” he said. “That was nerves.” He was going to kill Tony. He didn’t mean it, not this time, but it felt like the appropriate thing to feel. “Yes.”

“Wha-? Yes?” Steve looked like he couldn’t believe what he heard. Granted, this wasn’t how Loki expected Steve to ask, but that wasn’t the point.

“Yes.” The knots in Loki’s stomach unravelled as he shared a smile with Steve.

 

*

 

Contrary to popular opinion, Loki did not fidget.

At least, that's what he said and that's what his mom said he wasn’t doing. In fact, his mom told him he looked nice and reminded him to have fun. She attempted to be subtle and covered her mouth with her hand to stop Loki from seeing her smile. He didn’t bring it up, not because he was mortified that his mother was amused at his expense, but because he'd already lost count the number of times she'd done it.

Thor, however, was a different story. Loki thought that there was some injustice to this. Just because Thor was only home during the weekends these days did not give him any more right to make fun of Loki. (Although granted, that had never stopped Loki from making fun of him the few times they texted or Skyped either.)

His brother reminded him that this was the third, no _, fourth_ time he'd changed his shirt. Worse, he'd started telling Loki why each shirt looked better than the last. Apparently, having a shirt cling to him in all the right places was better than having the shirt match the color of his eyes. _That_ had sent Loki running back to his room and chucking off his shirt, with the goal to one day burn the damn thing. Now he couldn’t stop looking at the shirt and thinking of how Thor complimented him. (Thor, of all people!)

Loki regretted not having done something worse to Thor when he had started dating Jane than befriending her and telling him all his embarrassing childhood stories.

In the end, he settled for a green polo. It was simple, ordinary, but Loki couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. Thor didn’t say anything, but that was because Loki has made a slitting motion across his throat the moment Thor opened his mouth. It didn’t stop the glint in his eyes though, the one that said he knew something Loki didn’t.

Having gotten to know Thor a bit for the past few hour(s as in plural, not that Loki was going to acknowledge this because it would also acknowledge that he had spent the entire morning getting ready),

Knowing Thor, it may have involved matching his hair or his eyes or something else. He was slightly relieved when all Thor did was pat his shoulder before turning to the kitchen. Possibly to eat and raise his self-esteem, considering that no matter how much food Thor consumed, he never seemed to gain a belly.

"You look very nice, darling." His mom beamed and ducked her head back to the newspaper as her smile grew wider and more amused.

After that small episode, Loki locked himself in his room. He packed a small bag, not quite sure what to put inside. His cell phone, his keys, his wallet, that book he still hasn’t finished.

The rest of the time, he scrolled through the Internet, knowing that time tended to run faster when he was online. However, he kept glancing back at the clock displayed on his laptop.

Fifteen minutes.

Ten minutes.

His phone rang and Loki was startled, although he was glad no one was there to witness it. He pulled it out of the bag, heart hammering. Part of him hoped it wasn’t Steve cancelling on him. Part of him, the part that still refused to believe that he had been asked by Steve, hoped he would. When he dared to check the screen, it flashed Darcy's name up at him.

Sighing, he dropped onto his back in his bed. He read the message, holding his phone over his face.

_remember to make sure it's consensual. + NICE UNDERWEAR. do not disappoint in behalf of the school population_

Loki rolled his eyes.

_It's a lunch out. What more do you expect other than the possibility of sauce spilling?_

_sauce. SPILLING. BRILLIANT ;)_

Loki stared at her reply. No. He refused to read into that. Darcy was the worst. Possibly worse than Tony. Or Thor.

The doorbell rang, and Loki jumped again. He rolled off his bed and stuffed his phone in his bag. He took one look at his mirror, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt.

"Breathe, Loki. This is Steve Rogers, your friend of three years. He's seen you bed-ridden with snot dripping from your nose. You've received too many Farmville requests from him for it to be amusing. You can do this."

He smiled but his reflection merely grimaced at him.

"Fine, be that way," Loki murmured, running a hand through his hair. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He took another deep breath before stepping out of his room and going down to save Steve from Thor.

Steve and Thor were in the living room, swapping stories about the baseball team. Rather, Steve was telling Thor all about the team ( _his_ team really, now that Thor had graduated, though Steve refused to be caught calling his teammates his); how they're doing this season, which of the freshmen look like they could well be on their way to being potential captains. Steve had his letterman jacket over his shirt, something he normally took to wearing when baseball season drew near. Loki hovered by the stairs, eyes softening, shoulders relaxing at how excited Steve looked and sounded, even making small gestures with his hands. It was a habit he'd picked up from Tony.

(It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, Loki supposed. Tony had picked up Steve's Farmville addiction and that was worse because Tony had been breaking into Facebook security codes to try and make Farmville more Harvest Moon-esque.)

Thor didn’t spot him, as he was seated with his back facing Loki. However, that didn’t stop him from doing something stupid. Loki knew he would, the moment he shifted in his seat and rolled his shoulder. It was a prelude for Thor's Man On A Mission face, which was equal parts intimidating and bored. Loki may have helped him perfect it, if only because Thor promised him he would be his alibi for a thing he may or may not have done back then. It was rare for Thor to be in that mood. His intentions were never bad, but that didn't stop it from being ill-timed.

Like right now.

Because no matter how much it secretly pleased Loki to know that Thor cared, he did not need to hear him asking Steve what his intentions were with Loki, especially in that tone that spoke volumes of how Steve's limbs would be broken, should Thor find his answer inappropriate.

"Intentions? Well," Steve was frowning. He was actually giving this serious consideration, Christ. "We're not going to do anything he doesn't want, definitely."

"Steve, if I find out you've touched—" Right. Time for an intervention.

"On that note, let me remind you Thor, that threats are unnecessary. I am completely capable of handling Steve, should the situation arise. Which it won't." Loki stood in between Steve and Thor, arms crossed at his brother. Thor merely huffed out a laugh, his eyes alight with amusement.

"I am only protecting yo—"

"Don't even finish that sentence! We're leaving. Let's go, Steve." Loki left, hearing rather than seeing Steve follow him, giving Thor a quick good-bye. Thor yelled after them to have fun.

He paused a few seconds, holding onto the doorknob with his eyes closed, trying to calm himself. He felt Steve's fingers along his arm. When he opened his eyes, Steve was looking at him with a questioning smile. He continued to run his fingers from his forearm to his elbow, in soothing caresses.

"All right?" he asked. Loki nodded before throwing him a small smile.

"Yeah. Thor's just being an idiot. Nothing new."

"I think he’s trying to get back at you for his first date with Jane.” Loki smirked at the memory.

"That was pretty embarrassing for Thor. I do miss my younger days, when I could be more ambitious with messing with him."

"If this is your way of saying you miss your brother, it's working."

Loki glared but it did nothing to stop Steve from laughing at him. He shoved Steve lightly and beckoned him to follow. Loki jingled his keys in one hand, posing a silent question. Steve shook his head and showed him the backpack he'd brought.

"I've got it covered," he said. "We can walk."

 

*

 

“You could give me a hint as to where we are headed,” Loki said during a pause in the conversation. It was mildly surprising how easy this was turning out to be. All expectations of needing to impress flew out the window. Steve shrugged.

“It’s part of the surprise,” he said, so Loki let himself be led along, all the way into the park.

They stopped under a tree, found in the more secluded part of the park. Across, they had a view of the playground. The screech of children’s laughter was too far to be a distraction. Luckily, the balls and various inanimate objects being tossed around did not reach them either. The sun hid behind thick clouds and a breeze blew all over, shaking the grass and making him grateful for the long sleeves of his shirt.

“Where’s my surprise?” Loki joked. He had already formed an idea as to what they might be doing, but did not say it out loud, in case he got it wrong and implied that he did not want what he thought Steve had planned.

“Step aside and I’ll show you,” Steve answered as he put down his backpack. He kneeled right beside it as he carefully unzipped it. The first thing he pulled out was a blanket.

Loki recognized this blanket. It was brown and he knew it itched. Steve had saved money the previous school year so he could enroll in a summer art class. By the end of summer, he had asked Loki if he could be his model for his final piece. They’d done it outside, at an empty lot near Steve’s.

There, the blanket had been Steve’s makeshift mat to make sure paint didn’t drip on the ground. Their painting session had been abruptly cut when it had started to rain. Steve and Loki had attempted to squeeze themselves under the blanket, as they hurried back to his place.

Steve laid the blanket down on the ground.

“I didn’t throw this in the wash for days after,” he said as he smoothed out the edges. “I let it dry then kept it on my bed. It was the first thing I clung on to and the last thing I’d hug before going to bed.” He rubbed the back of his neck before looking up at Loki. “Creepy, I know. To be fair, I was only coming to terms with my feelings for you and was convinced you were uninterested.”

Loki joined Steve on the blanket, leaning against him. “Creepy is up for debate. I… may have done something similar, if I were in your place,” he admitted.

Steve continued to pull things out of the bag. There was the thermos, filled with thick mushroom soup. Steve reminded him that that particular soup was what Loki had made him when Steve had been hit with the flu.

“Except it was probably the worst thing I’ve tasted.” Steve laughed as Loki huffed indignantly.

“If I recall correctly, you drank the whole bowl like a greedy pig.”

“Because I was desperate for food. It was more boiled water than actual soup.”

“I am never making you anything ever again,” Loki said. He pressed his lips in a thin line, but had to bite his lip to keep him from smiling. He remembered that day well. Steve’s mom had been gone to visit her sister. Steve had no one and Loki had felt just a tiny bit lost as to what to do.

Loki understood what Steve was trying to get across to him as he pulled out item after item, either explaining or making Loki guess their significance. They had wanted to stop for this when they had gone on that road trip. This was the only drink they could afford during that time they had to cram a project at a Starbucks. Loki had a nibble of this before Tony had convinced them that they had to dance, it was prom for god’s sake, and if they didn’t have dates then they should dance with each other.

 

*

 

“Are you sure you didn’t stuff one of these with rocks?” Loki groaned as he lay down, resting his head on Steve’s folded knee. Steve was petting his stomach, making sure to avoid his upper ribs, where he was ticklish. At first, Steve had been hesitant. That had been amusing until Loki realized that Steve was going to take the entire ‘not doing anything Loki doesn’t want to’ declaration to heart. It had been up to him to reach out and put place Steve’s hand on his chest, humming in content when Steve moved his fingers.

“Gee, thanks for having faith in my culinary abilities.” Loki tilted his head so he could look up at Steve, who had his eyes closed. He reached out to tap Steve on the nose.

“Steve.” He tapped him twice more, until Steve was forced to open his eyes. “I meant it. My stomach is heavy with rocks. What have you fed me?” Steve rolled his eyes and poked his ribs. Loki squirmed, and rolled off of him and onto his stomach. He planted his head on his arms, which he crossed in front of him. Steve resumed his petting, this time, running his fingers through his hair.

 

*

 

This was embarrassing.

Seriously.

Loki frowned and wondered how long he had been asleep. He hoped it hadn’t been for long because, honestly, how embarrassing was this? He tilted his head, facing Steve, and opened his eyes.

Steve seemed content enough. He had his sketchbook out (Loki was not surprised he had it with him) and was busy with it. He must have noticed Loki shifting though, and turned to give him a smile.

“Hello, sleepyhead,” he said before going back to what he was sketching. Loki groaned and rolled so that he was lying on his back, stretching for a bit. When he felt more awake, he groped for his bag and pulled out his book, thankful that he had brought it. While Steve never acted like he minded, Loki knew Steve would only be grumpier if he left his sketch unfinished, so he let him have his time alone. He rolled back to his previous position and opened it to the page he had stopped in.

Loki decided to rest his eyes as he neared the last chapter. He closed his book and took a peek at Steve. Steve was massaging his hands.

“Done already?” Steve nodded. He gestured to his sketchbook.

“Want to see?” he offered. Loki sat up and leaned closer, resting a hand on top of Steve’s. There was a variation of sketches. Most of them consisted of people in the park; a couple seated on a bench, a man reading the papers alone, children running across the page. He flipped the page and it was a replica of their view; the playground and a few scattered trees. He flipped the next page.

It was a page filled up by Loki. Some while he was asleep. One was of him eating that cheesecake. A profile of his head. Someone Loki assumed to be him, but this time drawn with markings, making him look like a fantasy creature. Loki had always known how great Steve was; his art was realistic and Loki felt like, were he to reach out, he would touch actual skin or the tree bark or the twists of grass blades. Loki would always be blown away at the thought that Steve wanted to draw him over and over.

Beside him, Steve laughed nervously.

“You weren’t really supposed to see that,” he explained. Loki raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Creepy, that’s me, remember?”

“Yes. This proves it,” Loki said. “Creepy isn’t a debatable issue anymore.” He laughed, ducking to avoid Steve’s attempt to flick him.

 

*

 

Steve usually spent lunches with the baseball team, but today, he decidedly made a turn towards Loki. Loki had no qualms about Steve choosing to have lunch with his teammates over him, since they had formed a close-knit relationship. Besides, they both knew that if Loki wanted to spend lunch with Steve, he wouldn’t hesitate to sit with them.

Still. Loki was secretly pleased when Steve slid his tray onto his table and took the seat beside him.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” he said. Steve rolled his eyes.

“Hello to you too.” Steve leaned close, hesitating until Loki tilted his head in a nod. Steve smiled and gave Loki a kiss on the cheek. When he pulled away, his own cheeks were red. Loki didn’t have to look in a mirror to know that his cheeks were red too.

“Next time, I should have a camera ready.”

Darcy took the seat across Loki. Loki sighed. He had resigned himself to saying good-bye to peaceful lunches; with ‘peaceful’ meaning the absence of Darcy and Tony, time well spent with just him and Steve.

“Hello, Darcy,” Steve greeted. Loki swore that Darcy’s grin melted into a puddle when Steve directed his smile at her.

“Hi, Steve. Had fun over the weekend?” She had her elbows propped on the table and her chin on intertwined fingers. Her smile has sharpened again. Loki was feeling reminiscent of last week’s interrogation. He pointed his fork at her.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do,” he said. Darcy batted her eyelashes.

“Whatever do you mean?” Yes. Completely reminiscent of last week.

“Don’t tell her anything,” Loki warned Steve, who seemed to have decided that they were both acting like children, because he was giving them that look that told them they being ridiculous. “She’s fishing for information.”

“About what? Our date?” Steve also pretended to look innocent, but Loki could see through him. Steve was pleased that he got to call their picnic a date, and hadn’t stopped making references to it.

(He’d probably already told Barnes. Loki was pretty sure because, during third period, Barnes and Barton had made it a point of seating themselves on either side of him. Barton sat with his back against his chair, one fisted hand supporting his head, the other lightly drumming his books. Barnes had been sprawled on his chair, inspecting his nails. Loki knew this routine; he’d seen them pull it off a couple of times in the past. Between Barton’s arms and Barnes’ rash tendency to act now think later, Loki thought that he should be intimidated. He would have been too, if he hadn’t seen Barton drooling in his sleep and heard of Barnes’ drunken attempts at karaoke.)

Loki was pleased as well, about calling their picnic a date. Unlike Steve, though, he was not about to hand out information to just anyone. Darcy was one of those people, for the sole reason that Loki could already imagine her asking them if she could take a picture of them kissing. Worse, she might even direct the shot.

“What did I miss?”

Loki groaned and buried his head against Steve’s neck. Maybe if he counted to ten before he opened his eyes, he’d realize that he had just imagined hearing Tony’s voice.

When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Steve ogling Tony. When he turned to look, he noted that Darcy was also ogling Tony. Despite himself, Loki couldn’t help but take a look as well. He was sure the students from the tables surrounding them were also staring. In fact, Loki would be surprised if stares had not been following the pair from wherever they came from.

Tony was with Banner, which would have already set off Loki’s bad mood, if it wasn’t for the fact that they were both covered in paint. Tony’s arms were peppered with reds and yellows. Small dots of paint had dried in his hair, while his sideburns looked thickly coated. The trail from his neck and down pass his collarbones suggested that he had paint on at least his chest as well.

Banner looked just as dishevelled, although it was mostly his face that was covered with paint, this time green. The paint also trailed all the way down to his chest, a fact that Banner had left obvious as he had buttoned his polo wrong. Loki did not feel compelled to point that out, but Steve did. Banner’s cheeks reddened and he ducked his head as he re-buttoned his polo.

“Did you get into a fight in the art department?” Darcy asked, eyes flitting through the crowd, looking for other paint splattered students. From Tony’s other side, Banner snorted.

“Oh. Oh! Well, y’see, Bruce had a free period and I decided to cut class, help him out with something for art class.”

“Does something involve getting high on as many paint fumes as possible?” Loki asked. Banner glared at him, though Loki only glared back.

“No, Jesus.” Tony rolled his eyes. “It was, uh. A thing. An art thing.”

“Painting personal landscapes,” Steve said. “We’re in the same class,” he added when Darcy and Loki looked at him. Banner nodded.

“We have to paint a landscape that’s supposed to mean something to us,” he said. He wiped his glasses with the hem of his shirt (a small annoying voice in Loki’s head, which sounded exactly like Jane, awwed). Loki saw a strip of more green paint across Banner’s stomach. Tony nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah and boy, did we bring personal landscapes to a new level,” Tony smirked and, much to Loki’s horror started pushing up his shirt. “You guys should see what Bruce painted over my—”

“No!” Loki cried at the same time as Banner. Banner took hold of Tony’s hand and firmly brought his shirt down.

“Not here,” Banner said. Tony pouted.

“You mean, in school?” Tony asked. Banner shook his head.

“Not anywhere.”

“Is that a hand print?” Darcy suddenly asks, looking down at Tony’s pants with narrowed eyes. Tony followed her gaze and made a half-strangled laugh.

“Bruce,” he started. “Don’t kill me because these might be your pants, but remember that I’m the one wearing them. So, uh, ok, that doesn’t make it any better. Don’t kill me?”

Loki was curious despite himself, so he leaned forward to take a peek. Tony’s— or rather, Banner’s—pants, did have a hand print. Right on the crotch. Loki pulled back just as Darcy accused them of having sex in the art classroom.

“Oh god. Promise me we’ll never be as crazy as them,” Loki mumbled, covering his face with his hands, as Tony tried to justify the difference between sex and... and whatever they had actually been doing. Banner had taken to shutting Tony up by clamping his hand over his mouth.

“Shut up, Tony. This is one of those times that we talked about, remember? The one about making things worse than they already are,” Banner hissed. Steve laughed and pulled away Loki’s hands, giving each palm a kiss before leaning his forehead against Loki’s.

“Don’t worry. You have permission to shoot me, should I feel the need to strip you down on school property.”

Loki heard the sound of a camera click and he turned, without breaking contact with Steve.

“Darcy Lewis, you had better delete that picture from your phone or I swear I’ll find a way for you to never see it again,” he threatened. She cackled and made her exit, fingers moving across the screen, all the while telling Tony that she expected details. In a couple of minutes, Loki’s phone buzzed, but it would only be later, after class, that he’d see the copy of the photo Darcy had sent him.

Just this once, he decided, he could forgive his friends for being idiots invested in his life.

 

*

 

**EPILOUGE OF SORTS**

 

The corridor was empty. Thank goodness the corridor was empty because, no matter how Steve kept hissing that they had to be discreet, he kept banging his head back against the lockers, arching and grunting as Loki trailed kisses along his jaw and all the way down to his neck. Loki loved how Steve kept shifting between gripping his hips tightly and lightly petting them, thumbs moving in small circles against his skin.

Loki initially had his hands on Steve's shoulder but he moved them lower, slowly, lightly, hoping that this time, Steve would not notice. The furthest he had gotten was sneaking his hands underneath his shirt, hands spread on Steve's abs, with the desire to lick it but Steve had snapped out of his senses then.

Today, he did not have the same luck.

He had his hands on Steve's shirt, pulling at it with in a measured pace when Steve removed his hands from his hips and moved them around Loki’s wrists. He pulled Loki back, laughing.

"What was that about stripping in school property?"

"One day, you are going to stop making that joke. I've decided I want you shirtless before we graduate."

"You realize you've had me shirtless under the bleachers."

"Yes, but not in the hallway." Loki smirked and caught Steve’s lips in his, kiss after kiss after kiss, quick and light until Steve was back to clutching him. Loki wrapped his arms around Steve's neck, pressing himself closer. He could already imagine the bruises forming, from the way Steve gripped him.

So of course Loki tested the waters. He slipped a hand between them, snaking down to his jeans. He palmed Steve's growing erection. Loki pulled away to suck on Steve's earlobe.

"This could be my tongue, if you let me," he whispered, squeezing Steve's cock as tight as he could. Steve gasped, head thrown back and hips jerked forward. He panted heavily as Loki leisurely nipped along his jaw.

"Okay," he finally said. Loki looked up, doing that eyelash fluttering thing Steve claimed he did (Loki truly had no idea what Steve meant but if it got him what he wanted, he was all for mastering that look).

"Jesus," he murmured, looking down at Loki. "Yes. All right. But not here."

 

*

 

Which is how they ended up in one of the science labs. The lights were closed, the room nearly bathed in darkness. They relied on their hands to feel the way; Loki's hand tripped between the edge of the tables and the space before the next one. He found it difficult, feeling his way around when he was both walking backwards and being kissed senseless by Steve. Steve who had shed his shyness in the privacy of the classroom and was attacking his mouth, his tongue doing the most ridiculous things. Steve, who was holding his head between his hands, swallowing his moans and giving him something new to moan about. Steve stroked his cheeks, once, twice, before he moved along the buttons of his shirt.

"You fucking tease," Loki muttered and decided that it didn't matter if they weren't at the front of the room, where they would be hidden in shadows. They're far away enough from the door and if Loki was going to be bare-chested, then so should Steve.

He sat on the table and pulled Steve between his legs, splayed wide open. He wrapped his arms around his neck, clutching Steve's shirt from the back. Steve moved from his lips to his neck, as he unbuttoned Loki's shirt and pushed it back, revealing more skin. When he sunk his teeth into his collarbone and made an obscene sound as he sucked it, Loki tugged at his shirt.

"Off, off, take it off, you're the one who's supposed to be shirtless," he said, not caring if he sounded breathless or hysterical, he couldn't tell at this point. Steve laughed, his breath causing Loki's skin to tingle. Steve helped him take his shirt off because Jesus, it's a particularly tight shirt and it had offended Loki all day by clinging onto Steve, in public, the way he wasn't allowed to.

Said shirt was flung off and while Loki wouldn't mind chucking off his as well, he let it be. Over his shirt, he wore Steve's letterman jacket. Every time— every single time they made out and he was wearing his jacket, Steve never let him take it off. This was the closest Steve acted possessive towards him. It's a turn on, that’s what it was. Loki bit Steve's shoulder to hold back his moan.

He did it again when Steve dragged him closer to the edge of the table, until their cocks were pressed together, with only their clothes in the way. Loki jerked his hips forward and gave a grateful cry when Steve flicked the button of his jeans open and lowered his zipper, doing the same to his own pants. Loki watched with glazed, half-lidded eyes as Steve pushed his pants and boxers down. Loki lifted his hips, letting Steve pull down his as well.

"Loki," Steve murmured. He brought up his hand to his cheek, tilting his head up and kissing him. He wrapped a hand on their cocks and, and, this was the furthest that they've gone, wasn’t it? At least, in school, and it shouldn't have been such a turn on because he wass pretty sure he'd dissected a frog here once, but it was.

Of course, that was the moment Steve pulled away, fast as a whiplash.

"What the hell?!" Loki crossed his arms, fighting the urge to look at Steve's erection, which was in the way of his zipping up of his pants. Steve threw him a panicked look.

"Don't you hear that?" he whispered.

"Hear what? Have you lost your mind or are you making an excuhmp--!" Loki glared at Steve who clamped his hand over his mouth.

"Listen," he said, voice still lowered. Loki scowled but closed his eyes and concentrated. At first, he only heard a soft murmur until he realized that it was getting louder and that it was right in front of the door.

"Shit."

Loki hopped down the table to pull his own pants up. He looked around, wondering where he had thrown Steve's shirt. Steve already had it clutched in his hand but before he could put it on or Loki could start buttoning his shirt, the door opened. Steve grabbed him, pulling him down beside him, where they'd be hidden by the table. He landed on his ass with a thud. Steve slapped his hand over his mouth once more, to muffle his cuss.

"..pletely your fau-- did you hear that?" Shit that was Tony.

"No? It must be from all the energy drinks you've been chugging down. Instead of, you know, sleeping." Fuck and he had Banner with him!

Steve must have seen his look of alarm because he let the hand covering Loki's mouth drift to his arm and assured him with a stroke of his finger. Loki took a deep breath and nodded at him.

There was a rustling sound. While Loki might not have been able to see what's happening, the moaning that followed clarified that, no, they weren't here to cause an explosion, as they’ve been known to do.

Jesus. Was that how low Tony's voice could go? These were things he never planned on knowing!

"Couldn't have waited until we got to your place?" Banner asked, teasing and low. Loki burrowed his head in his hands.

"What can I say? I'm sucker for this shirt. My purple shirt of sex. All right, yours, but you’re mine so that makes this mine." Banner snorted.

"You've been watching Sherlock one too many times."

"What can I say? I love the nut job."

"No, you love me."

"Damn right, I do. C'mere."

What followed next was a clear thud of someone sitting on the table.

"Ow," Loki heard Banner say. Tony laughed softly before apologizing and saying things like licking his way down Bruce’s spine and kissing his injured ass.

Loki shot a look at Steve. At least Steve looked as scandalized as he felt. Steve pressed a finger to his lips in an effort to remind him to keep quiet. Loki bit his tongue.

In a span of a few minutes, he learned far too much about Tony and Banner. If Banner asked for Tony to go even lower in that voice that had gotten shakier, Loki was going to lose it. He moved to reach out to Steve, maybe formulate a plan to get them out, but his elbow accidentally knocked into the cabinet.

Loki froze.

The noises Tony and Bruce made also stopped.

Fuck.

“Who’s there?” Tony called out. Steve and Loki stared at each other, eyes wide. Steve was projecting panic.

“Look, we know you’re there. We’re not dumb; you’ve had your fun. Just come out and save yourself the embarrassment.” Steve made this guilty look that Loki was beginning to distrust. Tony was Steve’s friend too and he at least got along with Banner. Loki shook his head. He refused to come out. Especially because he’d taunted Tony several times about this and now he was the one in the same position. Forget everything he told Steve about the added thrill of someone walking in on them, he just had Tony Stark and Bruce Banner walk in, making out, someone shoot him!

 _No,_ he mouthed but Steve just gave him another guilty look, this one aimed for him. He mouthed an apology and before Loki could stop him, he stood up.

“St— Steve?!” Wow, Loki had no idea Tony could squeal like that either. Loki sighed and stood up as well; he might as well clarify that the reason why Steve was half-naked was because of him, before Tony could come out with his own ridiculous conclusions.

Bruce had his button down opened, revealing a strip of his chest. Loki averted his eyes to Tony, who was thankfully clothed. Loki’s eyes narrowed. He recognized that glazed look on Tony’s face. He snapped his fingers.

“Stop making out with Steve in your head,” Loki warned. Tony started, as though he’d only seen Loki just now. He probably had, not that he was going to admit it.

“Yeah, well, you mentioned it. Sure you’re not the one who’s thought of me making out with your boy toy?” Tony waggled his eyebrows, causing Loki to scowl. Beside him, Steve was reminding them that he was there _and did he not have a say in this_? Behind Tony, Banner was looking at both Tony and Steve wistfully, if only because it would piss off Loki even more.

“I’d watch,” Banner said. Yes, definitely because of that, Loki concluded when Banner caught his eye and smirked. Tony stuttered and gaped at Banner while Steve was busy trying to get everyone to take back what they said.

How was this his life?


End file.
